Easy Chocolate Birthday Cake

Easy Chocolate Birthday Cake

Easy Chocolate Birthday Cake

Ingredients

4 oz caster sugar

4 eggs

3 1/2 oz self-raising flour

1 oz cocoa powder

1 1/2 oz unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing

12 oz good quality plain chocolate, broken into pieces

8 oz unsalted butter

3 1/2 oz icing sugar, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to Gas 4 / 350F / 180C.  Grease a 20cm spring-form cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper or similar.

2. Put sugar and eggs in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Using  an electric whisk, whisk until thick and foamy and the whisk leaves a trail in the mixture (approx 5-10 mins).

3. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and carefully fold in with the melted butter and vanilla until well combined.

4. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 25 mins until risen and firm to touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 mins and then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.

5. Next is the icing.  Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water.  Remove from heat and beat in the icing sugar.  Set aside to cool and then chill for 1 hour until thickened.

6. Slice the cake in half horizontally and use half the icing to sandwich back together.  Use the remaining icing to cover the top and sides of the cake.  To write a birthday message use any coloured sweets – smarties, white chocolate buttons, m&ms etc.  Add some candles and hey presto!!

RECIPE SOURCE FROM http://www.childrensparties.ie/easy-chocolate-birthday-cake/

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple Glazed chocolate cake recipe

Simple chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for whipped cream (optional)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream (optional)

Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Ingredients

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

 

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

 

Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Let cool until thick yet pourable, 2 to 3 minutes.

 

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-round cake pan; line bottom with a round of waxed or parchment paper. Butter paper; dust bottom and sides of pan with cocoa, tapping out excess.

Sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream and beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Tap pan firmly on countertop once to eliminate large air bubbles. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely (bottom-side up). Set rack with cake over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour glaze over cake, letting it run over sides; spread gently with an offset spatula or table knife to coat. Let set, about 30 minutes.

If desired, whip cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Serve cake with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Cook's Note

Dusting the pan with cocoa powder (rather than flour) keeps the cake dark on the outside. To make chocolate shavings, scrape along the edge of a bar of chocolate with a vegetable peeler.

Recipe source from http://www.marthastewart.com/338484/glazed-chocolate-cake-recipe

Fried Mushrooms

Fried Mushrooms

Ingredients

Mushrooms   12

Grated cheddar cheese (as required)

Cooking Oil  (for fry)

Bread crumbs (as required)

For batter

Flour 2 cup (heaped)

Eggs 4

Milk 1 cup

Water (as required)

Salt 1 teaspoon

Chinese salt 1 teaspoon

Pepper 1 teaspoon

Cooking Oil 4 tablespoon

Corn flour 4 tablespoon

Self-raising flour 8 tablespoon

Method for Batter

In a bowl mix all together Flour, eggs, corn flour, self-raising flour, milk, cooking oil, salt, Chinese salt, black pepper with water.

Method for fried mushrooms

Remove stem of mushrooms. Fill the inside hollow with grated cheddar cheese. Dip in the prepared batter. Roll in bread crumbs and deep fry. fried mushrooms are ready for serve.

Walnut Coated Chicken

Walnut Coated Chicken

Walnut Coated Chicken

Ingredients

whole-wheat bread: 4 slices (dried)

Walnuts: 2 cup

Grated Parmesan cheese: 4 tablespoon

Salt and pepper: (to taste)

Egg white: 2 (large)

Ginger garlic paste: 2 tablespoon

Boneless chicken breast: 8

Oil for frying: (shallow)

Lemon juice: 3 tablespoon

Lemon slices: (for serving)

Walnut Coated Chicken

       

Method

In a food processor, combine bread, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Process until fine bread crumbs form. Transfer to a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, beat egg white until frothy. Marinate chicken with salt and pepper, ginger garlic, lemon juice. Dip each breast into egg white, and then into crumb mixture. In a large non-stick oven proof skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Carefully turn chicken over and put skillet in oven. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Serve chicken with lemon slices and salad.

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN

Ingredients:

Cauliflower 1 kg, boiled till half done
Mushrooms 6 sliced

White Sauce:

Butter 2 tbsp
Flour 3 tbsp, heaped
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Mustard powder 1 tsp
Egg 1 beaten
Milk 1 ½ cup
Stock 1 ½ cup
Salt 1 tsp

For Topping:

Grated cheddar cheese 1 cup

Method:

1. Cut cauliflower into medium florets boil & keep aside.
2. Make white sauce & slightly cool & add in beaten egg.
3. Add to it cauliflower & mushrooms.
4. Remove in an oven proof dish, top with gated cheese.
5. Bake on 180c for 20 minutes till cheese melts.

GRILLED FISH

GRILLED FISH

GRILLED FISH

Ingredients:
Fish fillets  1 kg
Red Chili powder   1 teaspoon ( heaped)
Mustard powder  2 teaspoon
Black pepper powder 1 teaspoon
Salt   half teaspoon
Lemon juice  4 tablespoon
Ketchup   4  tablespoon
Oil for frying   4 tablespoon

Method:

Marinate fish fillets with Red chili powder, mustard powder, black pepper powder, salt, lemon juice and ketchup for 30 minutes. Grease your dish with cooking oil and then spread fish fillets. Grill for 10 minutes or pan fry for 7 – 8 minutes. Serve with French fries & lemon slices.

Karhi with pakoras

Karhi with pakoras

INGREDIENTS

For the karhi:

Fenugreek seeds 2 teaspoon

Onion 2 (medium and paste)

Tomato paste I cup

Ginger and garlic paste 2 tablespoon

Red chili powder 2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Coriander powder 1 tablespoon

Cumin powder 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon

 Yogurt 2 cup (sour)

 Gram flour 6 tablespoon

 Cooking oil 1 and half cup

For the pakoras:

Gram flour 1 and half cup

Onion 1 medium (sliced)

Potato 1(sliced)

Green chilies 4-5 (chopped)

Salt to taste

Baking powder half teaspoon

Oil to deep fry

For the tempering:

Cooking oil 6 tablespoon

Asafetida 3 pinches

White cumin seeds 1 teaspoon

Dried red chilies 6-7

Onion 1 (medium) finely sliced

Curry leaves 4-5

METHOD:

For the karhi:

Heat oil, add fenugreek seeds. When they begin to splutter add the onion paste, tomato paste, ginger and garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala with little water. Then Fry on low heat for 10 minutes. Blend the gram flour and yogurt with 2 cup of water and add to the masala. Add lots of water to get a very thin watery solution (about 6-7 cups).Bring to a boil covers and cook on very low heat for about 2 hours. Now cut off the flame. When a very thin layer of oil appears on the surface it means karhi is done.

For the pakoras:

In a bowl mix the gram flour with salt and baking powder and add chopped onion and chopped green chilies, sliced potato and add little water to make a thick paste. Heat oil. Put one tablespoon full of the pakora mixture and fry on medium heat till the pakoras are golden brown.

The karhi should be done in about 1 and two hours. When it's done add the pakoras, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Take it out in the serving dish.

For tempering:

Heat oil and add asafetida then add cumin seeds and dried red chilies. When cumin splutters, add chopped onions and fry on medium heat till they are golden brown. I sometimes, add curry leaves also to the baghaar.Spread the baghaar over the karhi. Serve hot with roti, naan or boiled rice.

Fried chicken wings

Fried  chicken wings

Ingredients

Chicken wings ½ kg

Egg 1

Sugar ½ tsp

Salt ½ tsp

White pepper         ½ tsp

Chopped garlic 1 tsp

Corn flour 2 tsp

Flour 2 tsp

Method

Marinate your wings with all above, mix very well, deep fry for 10 minutes, then remove and re fry

once again for 10 minutes till crisp and golden brown.Serve with tomato sauce.